Dark Blade's Search
by poka
Summary: A boy's mother disappears, his home town left in ruins. The only survivor is a visiting boy from Pewter City. They embark on a journy to find her. Rating changed for chapter 7: Release, and future chapters. On hiatus. Sorry!
1. Prologue: The Prophecy

**Pokemon: Dark Blade's Search**

_A boy's mother disappears off the face of the planet,_

_His town burned to ashes, with no survivors._

_He sets out on a quest to find his parents._

_He will be joined by a boy, determined to help the only other survivor of the fire_

_And by a girl from another city, whos sisters are also no where to be found._

_One will turn,_

_While the other two struggle onwards…_

* * *

Hope you enjoy!


	2. About the Characters

Pokemon: Search for the Parents

**Pokemon: Search for the Families**

_A boy's mother disappear off the face of the planet,_

_His town burned to ashes, with no survivors._

_He sets out on a quest to find his parents._

_He will be joined by a boy, determined to help the only other survivor of the fire_

_And by a girl from another city, who's sisters are also no where to be found._

_One will turn,_

_While the other two struggle on wards…_

**About the characters**

- Name

- Ash Ketchum, Full name: Ashton Ketchum, alias Dark Blade.

- Ash got his alias because he always wears dark clothes and carries a long, hollow titanium sheet rod like a sword on his back.

- Physical description

- Raven coloured hair

- Brown eyes

- Black overcoat

- Black sleeveless shirt

- Jeans, black (slightly faded)

- Black runners with a green tongue

- Tan skin

- Athletic, but not over muscled body

- He is currently sixteen years of age

- Powers

- Psychic shockwaves

- Psychic bouncy bubble

- Telepathy

- He controls the elements of electricity and fire

- The sight of a houndoom, used to see long distances and in the dark

- feels the vibrations through the floor, to help him sense enemies and friends

- Lightning quick reflexes

- How he got his powers

Following the disappearance of his mother Delia, Ash, who was twelve at the time, set out to search for her. He was captured by the evil organisation Team Rocket, who has gained control of the governments in Kanto, Johto, and Hoen. Believing to be safe only in Sinnoh, Ash escaped and, tormented by his dark past, fled there, pursued by Team Rocket. He is one of three survivors and one of two to emerge sane…

- Name

- Misty Waterflower, alias Water Queen.

- Misty Received Her alias from Ash. She is called The Water Queen because her favourite element, and the one she is strongest with, is water.

- Physical description

- Red hair

- Blue eyes

- Navy blue overcoat

- Light blue tank top

- Jeans, blue (slightly faded)

- Blue runners with a white tongue

- Tan skin

- Athletic and pretty body

- She is currently sixteen years of age

- Powers

- Controls the elements of water, grass and flying

- The sight of a Noctowl, used to see long distances and in the dark

- Like Ash, she can feel the vibrations through the floor, to help her sense enemies and friends

- Able to heal major and even life threatening wounds

- Lightning quick reflexes

- How she got her powers

Misty was twelve at the time of her sisters' disappearance. Like Ash, her city was destroyed. Her life had started on an uncontrollable descent into misery before she was found by Ash. They were captured by the evil organisation Team Rocket, who has gained control of the governments in Kanto, Johto, and Hoen. Believing to be safe only in Sinnoh, The duo escaped and, tormented by their dark past, fled there, pursued by Team Rocket. She is one of three survivors and the other to emerge sane…

- Name

- Brock Slate, alias The Dark Boulder.

- Brock got his alias because he can turn himself into a shadow to blend in during the day and not be seen at night. He controls the elements of ground rock and dark.

- Physical description

- Black spiky hair

- Red eyes

- Black long sleeve T-shirt, pants, gloves and runners.

- Fairly dark skin

- Over-muscled body

- He is currently twenty-two years of age and 190 centimetres tall.

- Powers

- Elements of ground, rock and dark

- Turn into a solid shadow

- Grow spikes that are used as weapons and for climbing walls

- Able to block psychic attacks

- How he got his powers

Brock was the only other survivor of the Pallet Fires. He and Ash set out to search for Delia and were captured by Team Rocket. Brock, like Ash and Misty, was experimented upon, and tortured. Gradually slipping into insanity, he discovered that some side affects of these experiments gave him control over certain elements. They also gave Brock the power of near invisibility. Perfecting his powers he finally escaped, after burning down the branch of TR. Pursued by Team Rocket, The Dark Boulder set out to wreak havoc all the branches of TR and the world, and destroy the only two people who can save the world from sure destruction.

_Telepathy_

_**Pokemon telepathy**_

**Thoughts**


	3. Burning Towns

_Telepathy_

**_Pokemon telepathy_**

**Thoughts**

Chapter 1: Burning Towns

The night was relatively silent as I landed, the only noise coming from the cars that drifted like worker ants coming and going to collect food. My breath misted up in front of me as I scanned the ground for him, from the pole that I was precariously balanced on. I felt a slight weight land upon my shoulders, and looked up to see a pikachu, black as the night sky, its piercing blue eyes gazing fondly but alert at the scene below. A soft tap of feet touching a windowsill accompanied the Pokemon, as Misty, A.K.A The Water Queen, came to a land next to me.

_See him?_ I asked Pikachu.

**_No. Although he is here, I can't sense him._** He replied.

I repeated the question to Misty, but her reply was the same.

Suddenly I felt movement in the air. I tensed my heightened senses on full alert. I noticed out of the corner of my eyes that my companions had done the same thing, their bodies ready to fight, or flee into the night.

I felt a vibration beneath me and apparently so did everyone else. We leapt just as something – or rather something and someone, obliterated the wall behind us, leaving our group with nothing to hold us up.

I reached the height of my ascent and snapped my legs upwards, so that my feet came into contact with the wall above. Pushing off, I raced downwards at a speed that would put an F-22 Raptor to shame.

Out of the crook of my eye, I noticed that Misty was gliding towards the ground, her coat somehow acting like wings.

**Mental note: get Misty to teach me how to have coat act like wings.**

Pikachu on the other hand had other ideas. He had decided to do a little sky diving.

I conjured up a navy blue bubble underneath Pikachu and I so that we could continue our flight without getting ourselves gravely injured. We alighted and sprung, popping the bubble as we did so. Gaining my footing on a passing car, I sprung again, rotated 180 degrees and hit the ground. I looked up to see if Misty had made it to the ground ok, but was forced to back handspring away to dodge the punch that my nemesis threw my way.

* * *

My life wasn't always like this, living in eternal fear; running from Team Rocket and my once good friend now turned enemy. It all started one beautiful evening when I was still known by my birth name, Ash…

**

* * *

**

Flashback

Pallet Town, 5:30pm, 01/05/04

I had been sent down to the shops in Viridian City to gather groceries and Pokemon food, with my loyal pikachu by my side. Upon returning, we found our hometown ablaze. Dashing through the village, I called vainly for my family, who had seemingly vanished along with every other villager. That is, every other except one. In despair, I burst out crying, when, attracted by my mournful sobs; an older youth emerged from the shadows of a smouldering building. His name was Brock, and at 18 he was the oldest of us. For days we wandered around, searching, wondering whether we would find anyone alive.

Finally I resolved to leave the burnt remains that used to be my hometown. Gathering provisions, we set out to solve the many riddles that were left unanswered in the town that lay in ruins. How did this happen? How did my mother, along with every other resident disappear, with absolutely no traces left behind?

A two day journey brought us to a nearby city called Cerulean, or at least, what was left of it. The metropolis was in a state of disrepair. Buildings lay in ruins, smashed to pieces, or burnt to the ground. Brock and I started searching for anyone, alive or dead.

The sight of the deserted city reminded me of my hometown. Both places lay destroyed beyond recognition, both with all occupants missing without a trace.

Just as we were about to give up hope, I heard a soft sobbing. Racing around the corner, I came upon a lone survivor. She looked to be about twelve, the same age as me. A red head with blue eyes, she looked stunning.

As I approached the child to comfort her, she looked up, hearing me draw nearer. I felt a pang of sympathy for the girl, as I looked into her. Her eyes told her story. They spoke of the town around her and how she had come home to find her sisters missing.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Brock appear from behind a scorched building. Seeing us, he ran he changed direction and quickened his pace. Arriving at my side, he asked, "What happened?"

After a few minutes of silence, she began.

"My name is Misty. I am the sole survivor of this tragedy. I was asleep in my bed when it started."

The girl went quiet for a few moments. I could see that she was struggling to continue, but was unsure what to do to comfort her.

"The building across the road had gone up in flames. I could see from my window that something wasn't quite right, but I couldn't see the torched building itself. I saw a figure in black move across to the next house and set that one alight. Turning around I got out of bed to alert my sisters when my door burst open. Daisy was standing in the doorway with a panicked look in her eyes. She said to me, 'There are people coming who want to kidnap us! We have to get out of here!'

"Then I herd a loud crashing sound as the house behind us got completely demolished! After that, all I remember is racing to a hidden basement and after that… nothing. For a week I lay, hunger gnawing away at my stomach, waiting… wating for my sisters to come back. They hadn't hidden with me in the cellar. Instead they had tried to lure those monsters away from me…"

Once again she fell silent. I could see tears forming in her eyes, and my heart went out to the girl. I knew what it was like. No family to comfort you, the struggle to survive all alone and the long, never ending nightmares of your family's disappearance, which constantly revisit you in your dreams. But I, unlike Misty, was not the sole survivor of my hometown's fire. Someone had found me many days later – Brock.

Misty started once again, but her voice was shaky. Shyly, I put an arm around her to comfort her. She smiled gratefully and continued.

"I…" she sniffed, "I eventually left the dark and gloomy dungeon-like basement, to search the city for my sisters… I never found them. Ever since, my life has been empty, barren. I cried and cried for a good two days. At one point I almost starved to death…"

**End flashback**


	4. Encounter

Pokemon: Search for the Parents

**Pokemon: Search for the Families**

_A boy's mother disappear off the face of the planet,_

_His town burned to ashes, with no survivors._

_He sets out on a quest to find his parents._

_He will be joined by a boy, determined to help the only other survivor of the fire_

_And by a girl from another city, who's sisters are also no where to be found._

_One will turn,_

_While the other two struggle on wards…_

_Telepathy_

_**Pokemon telepathy**_

**Thoughts**

**Chapter 2: Encounter**

I looked up to see if Misty had made it to the ground ok, but was forced to back handspring away to dodge the punch that my nemesis through my way as he and his Pokemon landed with a resounding thud. He looked at me and grinned evilly. I smiled back. I knew something he didn't. CRACK! A sudden flash of a blue and one well place kick later, and Misty was standing next to me, her overcoat flapping gently in the wind and our nemesis lying face first in the dirt. I winced, thinking, **He'll have a massive lump on his head tomorrow morning.**

The man got up and fired a large spike at me, and at the same time he ordered his Pokemon to use a body slam attack on Misty. I flipped over to my left side, to avoid the spike, landing with out a sound. My eyes widened as HIS Pokemon slithered out of the shadows. It was a Steelix. Well sort of. It was a blackish blue sort of colour, which signalled that it was at least partly dark type. The Pokemon was also twice as tall as a normal Steelix and a bit wider too. It looked to be heavier than an oversized Snorlax and a lot stronger as well.

Then I remembered… **Hmm Pokemon can only be two elemental types. So if one is dark, could the other be…?**

"Pikachu, use Thunderstorm!"

As I said this I sent out a large psychic shockwave, but as I thought it would, the shockwave only went through the Pokemon and its master, as they were part dark type. This was what I wanted, because as it went through them, it paralysed them with a crackle of electricity.

Storm clouds began to grow above us and it started to rain. I looked up and grinned. A lightning bolt struck our paralysed enemies shocking them. I noticed with satisfaction that the Steelix had been completely fried. It was smoking and charred blacker than ash (A/N: pun not intended). The smoking Pokemon had confirmed my suspicions. The other type was steel, and as a metal, it attracted electricity.

As the clouds grew, so did the electricity that crackled through the air. More and more bolts of electrical energy rained down upon our enemies, as we fled the battle. Pikachu bounded up onto my shoulder to perch on his favourite spot as the storm behind us came to a close.

I looked behind us as we ran. I wish I hadn't. For behind us, our foes were quickly gaining. How he managed to survive that electrifying assault, was beyond me, let alone _run._ As he ran closer, he pulled out something from behind him. Then, with horror, I realised just what he was holding

Oh CRAP! Where the HELL did he get a ROCKET LAUNCHER?! I yelled, causing my companion to look behind us too… just a few seconds after he had fired and collapsed unconscious. He had fired at her.

We swerved between buildings to dodge the incoming missile, but it just seemed to follow our every move. It was then that I realised what I had to do to stop it. Sacrifice myself.

I skidded to a stop, throwing pikachu off my shoulder, and began charging an attack.

"What are you doing?! Are you INSANE?!"

"GO!" I roared at them, "Go before you get hit by the shrapnel of the blast!"

She looked hesitant to leave my side.

"MOVE!" I bellowed again, but they still refused to leave.

I glared at her, all the while continuing to charge my attack for the rocket that was looming ever closer. She glared back. Suddenly my eyes turned blue and a psychic bubble enveloped them and carried them to a safe hight, her angry shrieks trapped within the bubble.

Then it was upon me.

"RRRAAAAAAA!!" I roared, and released my attack. Pyro Blast. A gargantuan ball of fire enveloped my body growing bigger until it sucked the rocket in, causing it to explode, effectively ripping through my protective shield, which protected the world beyond from the inferno within.

Suddenly something struck me, a molten piece of steel, causing me to scream in pain. Gritting my teeth, I concentrated, trying to keep my ball of flame alive. Then another one struck me, and another, and another, until it felt like I was standing under a barrage of… well, of molten steel. Then one struck me through the chest, piercing my skin. I howled in pain, and collapsed. I was barely holding onto consciousness now. I smiled sadly, knowing that my actions had kept Misty, pikachu, and hundreds of others in the city alive, but also that I wouldn't see the light of day ever again. I fainted.

* * *

I'm SO sorry for not updating sooner. This story is fast becoming a priority, but it's hard to find the time to update it, what with all my homework, and school and swimming. Plus on top of that, I've had writers block (again).

So that's the end of the second chapter: Encounter. I hope you all enjoyed it, and please REVIEW!


	5. Revival

I'm SO sorry for not updating sooner. This story is my top priority, but it's hard to find the time to update it, what with all my homework, and school and swimming. Plus on top of that, I've had writers block (again).Here is the third chapter: Revival. I hope you all enjoy it, and REVIEW!

disclaimer: don't own pokemon

Thanks to: XG: thanks for the review mate. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

**Chapter 3: Revival**

Misty's Point of View (P.O.V)

I looked on in horror at what had just occurred below us. After witnessing the devastating power that Ash had to build up to contain the blast and the shrapnel of the rocket, I was suddenly hit by a very BAD feeling as I watched the flames die down. Ash my comrade, and the teen that I loved, although unknown to him, was nowhere to be found. Pikachu was covering his eyes in sorrow for his fallen master and suddenly, the reality of what had happened hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn't believe that he was dead, I just couldn't. I had to see for my self.

I leapt off the roof of the apartment, clutching pikachu to my body, and snapped my cape into their wing position as I began my rapid descent.

**It's amazing how much you don't realise you loved someone until it's already to late…**

I choked back a sob as we hit the ground. My knees buckled as the harsh reality became terribly clear. The ground and seel frame of the building that had recently started to go up, had been warped into an ugly, twisted shape, that showed just how hot the fire had been - at it's coolest. The building hadn't been touching the inferno, let alone been in it.

I continued my scan for any signs of life, or even a body, but finding none, promptly dropped to the floor and started crying. Pikachu scampered off to find his own secluded spot somewhere in the quadrangle. My emotional dams collapsed under the weight and strain of the turmoil and grief that had built up inside of me.

Still sobbing, I crawled to pikachu who was in the centre of the square. He appeared to be staring at something, but was just barely holding his tears in check. As I arrived on the scene I pulled him into a tight hug. It was at that moment that he burst into tears. It was also that moment that I saw something that made my heart stop. There he was. His skin was burnt beyond recognisation and was blacker than even pikachu's fur. He had a gaping hole in his chest where a shard of molten steel had pierced his skin.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Reaching out, I touched his wrist. Feeling something pulse underneath my fingers, my hopefulness returned. A heartbeat. It had to be. He was still alive!

Looking again at his chest, I noticed something that I hadn't noticed before. The hole was too high to have hit his heart. However, he was bleeding heavily and had lost a lot of blood.

I touched Ash's wrist again to make sure that his heartbeat was still there. It was. I knew what I had to do.

I put Pikachu down and placed my hands upon Ash's chest wound and began my work. They began to glow blue and soon the wound started to close up, as pikachu's expression changed from one of sadness, to questioning, to one of awe.

**First the major arteries**, I thought, as the blue glow expanded to engulf his body to heal his wounds. The blood vessels began to heal and the hole started to shrink as my concentration shifted to the wide depression in Ash's chest.

As it healed, I fingered a bracelet that Ash had given to me on my birthday. It was shaped like a droplet of water and was ringed by a line of gold that went around its side. The sapphire inside was very rare and is only one of a few in the world. The bracelet hung on a silver chain that went around my wrist and supposedly came from a mountain where the legendary pokemon mew is said to live.

Ash told me once that it belonged to his great great great great grandmother who got it as a wedding gift from a good friend. It is apparently the rare Mystic water jewel, which strengthens any water attack.

The glow that shrouded Ash faded from my hands. His wounds had all healed and his heart beat was strong. The cavernous hole in his chest had completely vanished and his colour, although sightly pale, had returned. Ash's skin was no longer burnt to a charcoal black and the molten steel debris that would have scared him forever was no where to be found on the boy's body.

I looked up, thankful that my plan had worked. I sighed. Healing really took a lot of energy out of me.

Sighing again, I took off my coat and draped it over Ash's sleeping body.

**I'll watch over him, I thought.**

It calmed me, watching Ash sleep peacefully. Watching his silent form gently rise and fall with each breath that he took. Watching him relax, without a worry in the world. The land of dreams was the only true place that he was safe.

Gradually, I began to feel a presence probing at my mind. I smiled and let it in, knowing who it was.

_Thank you, _Ash thought, _for everything._

_Your welcome, _I replied, as his mind broke the connection between us.

I looked over a pikachu. The pokemon was sleeping peacefully, now that his master was out of danger. I decided to join him and his owner in the land of dreams.


	6. Decision pt 1

**Chapter 4: Decision Time pt 1**

"So what do we do?"

It was three days after my near death experience. I was shocked to find that I was still alive after the devastating explosion that almost tore me to pieces. My body had been completely charred and as a result, I had to withdraw into myself so I didn't feel the pain as much. Misty thought that this was what had caused me to stay alive, after I explained what I had done.

"I say that we go to take out TR. They've been hunting us long enough. I say we take the fight to them. I say that we payback the damage that they dealt us tenfold."

Her reply came cold and hard. It wasn't like Misty to be so direct. There were things that we both wanted to settle, but these last few close to death experiences must have really hit her hard.

"I know that I might seem opposed to this, which I'm not, but isn't this a little hasty?" I asked, a little cautious. Misty can have a fiery temper when she gets angry.

"Hmm…" She huffed, "Why should we keep running? They created that monstrosity that almost killed you three days ago." I winced. She hadn't needed to bring that up again, but I was beginning to see her point. "They've got people all over the country, no, the world, that are trying to find us. They obviously want us back with them, or dead, that badly. We can't keep running, otherwise they'll eventually get us. When they do, we'll become their puppets, or worse, be brutally tortured, then killed.

I hated to admit it, but she had a valid point. She had a very good argument and I didn't have a counter.

I began to say "we'll go," but I stopped abruptly. I heard a crackling sound coming from behind a bush. Something was here. No, I realised, not one thing, but about thirty things. People were surrounding us on all sides. I felt the vibrations of feet stepping softly and shifting around, as the people waited for the signal to attack.

Opening a link between myself, Misty and Pikachu, I began to speak telepathically.

_Stay quiet,_ I said. She looked at me questioningly, but obeyed.

_Are we under attack?_

I nodded and pointed with two fingers at two different places, signalling that those were the two places she and Pikachu should attack.

_You take the guys on that side, I'll take this third. Pikachu, take the remaining section_

_Got it. _

_Ok._

We split, and the battle began

--

Pathetically short I know but the next chapter should be coming very soon-a week to two tops. Got to go write up the next chapter


	7. Decision pt 2

Pokemon: Search for the Parents

**Pokemon: Search for the Families**

**Prologue**

_A boy's mother disappear off the face of the planet,_

_His town burned to ashes, with no survivors._

_He sets out on a quest to find his parents._

_He will be joined by a boy, determined to help the only other survivor of the fire_

_And by a girl from another city, who's sisters are also no where to be found._

_One will turn,_

_While the other two struggle onwards…_

It had turned out that the thirty we had knocked out were onlythe scouting group. Quite soon, we realised the main group would be on us in a matter of seconds. Surrounded on every side. Back-to-back, we lashed out, striking again and again. Every time we took one foe down, ten more seemed to appear in their place.

I grinned insanely as I snapped out a low blow into the abdomen of one of many men, sending him hurtling into a nearby tree, causing a fairly thick branch to snap off and land on him, pinning him to the ground.

I was beginning to enjoy myself! The odds stacked against us, surrounded on all sides, with a seemingly never-ending onslaught of enemies, This is how I liked it!

--

Somewhere in a nearby forest…

(Unknown person's point of view)

My eyes snapped open. The first thing I saw was my captive enemy lying spread-eagled on the floor, dead, her broken bones piercing her bloody body. Her arms and legs were splayed out in an unnatural position, almost bent double, as her eyes stared at the ceiling, devoid of any life.

I smiled as my eyes roamed over the gruesome sight. As I began envisioning how my next target would die, my smile only grew wider.

_She'll die an even more gruesome death, as he watches on, unable to help the one he treasures most, the only one who invokes more emotion, more regret, more sadness and love._

I laughed cruelly, my red rimmed eyes burning with nothing but contempt and hate. My payback plan had been set in motion, and this was only the beginning.

_I'm coming for you…_

--

**(Ash's point of view)**

The waves never stopped coming. The people, flitting from tree to tree, to join up with the main army, which had encircled us as we fought side by side, moving through the dense, dark and dangerous Viridian forest it had been hours since Misty and I finished of the tiny group that had been following us before. As it had turned out, that had only been a scouting group, and the main military wasn't far behind.

We fled into the forest, away from Viridian City… and straight into their waiting arms. Now we're fighting for our lives. Again. Just Misty and I, against what seemed to be the rest of the world.

We were tiring. Slowly but surely, we were tiring and we weren't the only ones who knew it.

It was time to end the battle, or we'd be worse than dead.

"_Let's end this Mist!" _I shouted telepathically, snapping of a quick triple kick combo on the person nearest to me, launching myself high into the air.

As I came to a land on a seemingly unreachable tree branch, I looked out to see just how many people we had to take out. I wish I hadn't. There were so many people out there, that they appeared to fill the entire woodland area.

"Holy shit!" I swore.

Misty floated up next to me, nodding, while holding what looked to be a glowing orb of water that was growing ever larger. In her other hand, she was holding a whirling white ball of air. Pikachu lept off her shoulder to join me by my side, and charged up his own ball of energy. His orb was different though. It was blue but not water, and it didn't crackle with lightning as his continued to grow.

Electricity crackled and the air grew hot as I formed a sphere in each hand – Fire burning with a hot passion and electricity crackling with a fury so powerful, it sent out large bolts of lightning that fried anything within several metres.

"Smile!" I shouted as I slammed the two elemental orbs together, causing a blinding flash that seemed to echo throughout the forest. Following suit, Misty too brought her hands together, igniting a second, equally powerful blast of light.

One look and a nod later, and the three of us fired off our respective spheres.

We watched as our balls converged, forming a massive orb of crackling energy.

As I watched the sphere hurtle towards our blinded foes, I saw a flash that made my heart freeze…

--

**Flashback (3rd person POV)**

--

A two day journey from the town of Cerulean brought them to a large city that Ash knew of only as the city of doom. Brock said that the city's true name was Saffron city. It was here that the trio consisting of Ash, Misty and Brock felt the answers to the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of their parents and their townspeople, as well as to the destruction that laid waist to their town.

Furtively hiding in the shadows cast by the tall, imposing skyscrapers, they couldn't help but feel that someone was watching them. Misty kept throwing wary glances over her shoulder, as did Ash.

"I can't help but feel that we're being followed." said Misty, as she threw another cautious glance over her shoulder.

Suddenly she stopped in her tracks. Something wasn't right.

_Crack._

Something snapped, and Misty spun around to see what it was. When her roving eyes revealed nothing close by, she began to turn to face their original direction again. She paused again, as did Ash. Both had just realised what was wrong. There was _nobody_ on the streets.

Now they knew that something was definitely wrong.

_Crack._

Another snap resulted in Misty whirling around, only to come face to face with a very tall, very imposing man, who smothered her mouth and pressed quickly on two pressure points on her neck, cutting off her circulation, and forcing her into unconsciousness.

He slung her over his shoulder and nodded an affirmative to an accomplice who held an incapacitated Ash.

--

When Ash awoke, he was lying in what looked like a jail cell. His captor walked in to see if he was awake, and finding that he was, promptly dragged him from his cell into a cold, sterile looking laboratory, and strapped him onto a steel table.

"What do you want? Why am I here? What are you going to do to me?" He cried, terrified at what might happen. "P-please don't hurt me!"

The tall man looming over him just grinned sadistically, as he pulled out a malicious looking syringe, shoved it into his arm and proceeded to inject a crackling liquid into his blood, causing the twelve year old to scream in pain.

Ash's captor turned to look at a monitor behind him as a woman entered the room. The child could feel a dark, cruel aura radiating from her.

"Sir," the tall man said to the businesswoman, who was clearly his superior, "the kid has successfully absorbed about 20 percent of the liquefied electricity into his DNA and is still rising."

"Well done Gary."

"Nadine," began Gary, only to receive a withering glare from his boss, "sorry, Sir, he has absorbed 50 percent, his electrical absorption is still rising! This is the most we've ever had!" he said, before continuing, "Now 70 percent… oh no! His body is rejecting the rest of the fluid! We're losing…"

Ash's hearing faded out as he bucked up and down on the table, the straps keeping him in. All he could feel was intense pain, like he had been struck by lightning. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the pain stopped. He appeared to be floating in the clouds. Looking up, he saw an immense gate. He started forwards but was startled when someone grabbed hold of him.

A voice filtered into his brain. It spoke with authority, but was filled with care. It said, "_It is not your time yet little one."_

--

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

"Ma'am, we've lost him… what would you like to do with the body?" Gary asked

Nadine sighed, and replied, "Throw it away like the rest of them." she turned to leave.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"Ma'am, we have a heartbeat, he's alive!" Nadine's henchman yelled to her, causing her to whip around and stare at the monitor in astonishment. And what she saw was indeed a heartbeat.

"Gary," she yelled back, "get on your rubber gloves!"

--

As he came to, Ash felt incredible anger. They had used him for their own sick and twisted experiments!

As his rage grew, his body started sparking with electricity. he clenched his fists and was about to tear through the steel – when he screamed in pain. The electricity coursed through the steel table and electrocuted him.

From then onwards, the years passed in a daze as he was tested ruthlessly again and again, each time getting more and more brutal. Then came that fateful day when he became psychic…

On that fateful day, it was decided that he was ready for another experiment and therefore an order was issued for aa commander to oversee the process.

After being dragged form his cell Ash was roughly strapped onto a steel table strapped down and injected with a seering hot liquid, but not before he recognised his supervisor's face. Nadine - the same lady that had watched the last experiment he was in.

"Ma'am," Gary said to his boss, "the kid has successfully absorbed about 20 percent of the liquid fire into his DNA and is still rising."

He received an affirmative nod, and then continued.

"Sir, he has absorbed 50 percent, his Pyro absorption is still rising! This is the most we've ever had!" he said, before continuing, "Now 70 percent… oh no! His body is rejecting the rest of the fluid! We're losing…"

Ash's hearing faded out again as he bucked up and down on the table, the straps keeping him in. All he could feel was intense pain, like his mind was being crushed against his skull, like his body was on fire. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and the pain stopped, and everything was back to normal

Ash felt incredible anger. They had done it again – they had experimented on him AGAIN!

His eyes abruptly glowed blue, and the shackles that kept him on the table snapped open. Ash rose slowly from the table so as not to arouse suspicion from the two adults around him and slid off the table, alerting Nadine that he escaped.

"GET HIM!" he yelled to her inferior.

Ash dashed out of the room and into a hallway with nick hot on his heels. He sprinted through the maze of halls, starting to panic. Turning a corner, he stopped hastily when he saw that he was in the cells district of the building. Ash was about to resume his pace when he heard his name called from a cell ahead.

"Ash!"

It was Misty.

Ash's eyes glowed once again, causing the locks on her cell to open. She bolted out of the chamber and was about to hug him when he stopped her.

"Now isn't the time! Someone is chasing me and if we don't move now, we'll be caught again!" Ash said quickly. Misty nodded and spoke.

"Follow me. I know where the nearest exit is."

"What about Pikachu?"

"Pikachu is in the a room next door, in an insulated cage. you'll see it as soon as you enter the room. Get him quickly, and then we can go."

It turned out that the room next door happened to be a laboratory. Pokemon were everywhere, most had more than half of their features changed. Ash looked around as Misty walked in, and spotted pikachu's cage. He opened it, let pikachu hop onto his shoulder, and quietly left the room, knowing that they couldn't stay to release the rest of the pokemon.

They were about to leave again when another thought popped into Ash's brain.

"What about Brock?"

"He isn't anywhere near here! We're wasting time! If we go looking for him, we'll be caught again!"

Grudgingly, Ash agreed, and then sprinted after his counterpart, pikachu hanging on for dear life.

--

Gary had lost the kid. He ran through the halls searching for him, knowing that if he didn't find the boy, his life would be on the line.

--

Misty and Ash ran through the maze all the while getting closer to the exit. They were having amazing luck. So far, no one had appeared to stop them. Then they turned a corner. In front of them was about 15 people guarding the exit. Slowly, they crept backwards and around the corner that they just came.

"What now?" Ash asked.

"A few minutes ago, we passed a corner that leads to a dead end. That's our escape route now."

Ash just looked at Misty questioningly, shrugged and decided to go with whatever crazy plan she had thought up, then once again, sprinted off after his friend.

Minutes later the rounded the last corner to there destination – and came face to face with an astonished Gary, who was immediately bowled over as they sprinted through the hall.

"Hold him off while I get our exit ready!" yelled Misty, who (much to the astonishment of Ash) promptly began charging up a large sphere of wind.

Ash grinned and cackled sadistically, as his emotions took hold of his body, causing him to catch alight.

"It's payback time, for all of the things that you have done to me…" he said furiously, voice dripping with venom and hate. Seizing the taller man, Ash hurtled him into Misty's path, just as she released a massive beam of whirling air, which collided with Gary's already bruised body and sent him hurtling through the steel wall that kept them trapped in the brutal place they called home for two years.

Needles to say, Gary was not having a very good day.

--

In the intervening year, they re-embarked on their quest to find their families.

they didn't know what Brock's fate was, until Misty saw a news headline in passing. It showed a mysterious, shadowy figure that looked remarkably like Brock, escaping the same building that they had a year ago, after setting it alight. The headline beneath said:

Insane, mysterious figure, now nicknamed 'The Dark Boulder' escapes from a government facility after blowing it up

**End Flashback**

* * *

A/N: And thats the end of chapter five This should answer some questions about brock's becoming evil and how Ash and misty got their powers. I can't say when the next chapter will be up, because I'm leaving to go on holidays and so won't be able to post anything.

A/N2: As I finnished writing this chapter, I realised how similar the scene of Ash getting his powers and his escape, and the scene of Xtreme Gamer's story Firefly: Queen of the New Breed, when he tells us how firefly got her powers. this is completely unintended.

A/N3: any mistakes are mine. I woulde appriciate it if you let me know. Remember, people, Review!

A/N4: This story is an edited version of a story that I am writing for a project for school. this is why I'm not updating any other stories at the moment


	8. Decision pt 3

**Chapter 7: Decision Time pt 3**

**Acknowledgments:**

Sarkes99 - Thanks for the review mate. I've got another two stories for you to read: Illicit Saints (warlordess) and The Strangest Kind of Love (warlordess).

Xtreme Gamer: Thanks for your review mate. your questions will be answered in the next few chapters.

**Disclamer:** finally. After several long years of trying, I finally own pokemon! (hears phone ringing) What?! what do you mean I don't own it?! After I threatend to assasinate them?! (sighs) oh well. We'll just have to try another ploy.

_A boy's mother disappear off the face of the planet,_

_His town burned to ashes, with no survivors._

_He sets out on a quest to find his parents._

_He will be joined by a boy, determined to help the only other survivor of the fire_

_And by a girl from another city, who's sisters are also no where to be found._

_One will turn,_

_While the other two struggle onwards…_

--

**(Misty's Point of View)**

I noticed the change as soon as Ash saw the flash. Time seemed to slow as he narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. Ash looked as if he was about to incinerate the entire forest. What happened couldn't have been closer to exactly that.

The boy became engulfed in a raging fire. Now this itself wasn't unusual. What was was the fact that the fire was white. And it was c_old. _Pure hate seemed to radiate from his body as he seemed to lose all control of himself. Then Ash began to change. His arms were the first to start. They sprouted short fluro yellow fur that then spread up to his shoulders and down his chest and back, his shirt and coat simply vanishing. Ash's pants became loose and baggy track pants, stained blood red, and the runners that he previously wore turned into comfy but sturdy combat boots.

His hair, previously raven in color, turned silver, sticking out every which way as if it was in a hurricane force wind, grew down so it hung over his shoulders.

Two rows of blade-like spikes grew out of his spine, angled towards the floor. Three curved blades grew out of each arm, just below the wrist, bending towards his shoulders.

Finally the rims of Ash's eyes became blood red, completing his transformation.

I looked towards Pikachu to se how he felt about this shocking development (pun not intended). His eyes were as wide as the moon from shock, his own elements, dark and something that couldn't really be put into any category now gravitating towards the ball of crackling energy that we had brought to life.

I turned back to Ash to find him now glaring at the Elemental Sphere, as it struggled to push through those holding it back. His eyes narrowed when the Elemental Sphere began to back-track to where it came from.

The ethereal fire that had previously enveloped Ash before his transformation swallowed him up again. A blue glow enshrouded his right hand as he raised it to face the Element Sphere. Then he began to speak.

"For the past two years, before we escaped your murderess grasp, Misty and I had been experimented on, tortured, poked, prodded, stabbed and ruthlessly tested almost to the brink of insanity."

I nodded, stunned. This wasn't the same young boy I once knew, and yet... somehow, it was.

Ash did have a point though. All of what he said was completely true, although, there were some positives of the experience that we had, including a very large increase in stamina, allowing us to drop-dead-sprint for miles in end, as well as huge pain resistance and self control. Along with these our abilities grew too. We learned to control them, invent new ways to use the moves that we currently had and creating new moves. However, these things came at a very large cost, not just from us but from others as well. This price? The lives taken in self defense. For this I will never forgive myself...

"Many times we were left on the brink of death, only to be brought back again and again... each time more painful than the last. Can't you see what you people have put us through?"

Ash nodded to Pikachu's energy ball as it merged into the Element Sphere, sparking realiseation within me. Their fate was about to be rewritten, hopefully for the better.

"Now you have a choice. I can't tell you what to do, as the memory of this moment will vanish. You are about to be sent back in time to the moment when you first became part of Terex. Those that were captured and forced to join will escape, and never have to deal with the company that ruined your lives. Those that chose to become part of terex willingly will get to choose again. Make the right choice, and your life will be vastly better that the fate that will befall you. The consequence of the wrong choices will be instantanious death. To those of you who make the right choice, if we do meet again, hopefully it'll be on friendlier terms."

With that final statement, Ash thrust his glowing palm forward, sending the Element Sphere careening into the struggling army below. The resulting blast completely vaporized the entire forest that once was Viridian Forrest.

**(Ash's POV)**

I watched as the explosion echoed throughout the jungle. Every human within the woods had vanished, save three. Two of these people were lying dead in pools of their own blood. The third person sat crouched where the Element Sphere's point of impact was, blood splattered on his arms, legs and forehead. He looked up, locking eyes with me, then grinned a cruel, sadistic grin and vanished without a sound.

_How the hell did he manage to survive that devastating attack? _I contemplated, thinking of that oddly familiar face that had disappeared moments ago.

A sinister voice sounded from behind me, saying, "And so it's come to this... Nice to see you again... Ash"

I whirled around, coming face to face with the one person I hated more that Brock after he went insane. The one who had ruthlessly experimented on, tested and tortured me to near insanity. The familliar face from seconds ago clicked with that sadistic voice. Gary.

"You!" I shouted, a ball of fire bursting to life within the palm of my hand. It was then that I had noticed who Gary had in his grasp - Myst. He had one arm around her neck, loose enough that she could breath - just. If she moved even a little, the blades on his forearm might slice off her head. His other hand had her gripped by the wrists, forcing her into submission.

"You son of a bitch! Let her go!" My voice sounded shaky while I spoke. Realising that there was no way I could release Misty from that bastard's grip, I slowly extinguished the fire in my palms.

Watching his every move, I asked, my voice dangerously low, "What the fuck do you want dipshit? What ever it is, I'll give it to you if you let her go without harm."

Nick laughed. "Such feistiness... I'm sure you're wondering why I'm doing this. No? Well I'll tell you anyway. My boss was furious with me after your escape. His punishment? Torture and experiments. I became his guinea pig, taking your places. Now I'm out for revenge, and when I'm done, I'll bring you in to Nadine, and become a commander. If you ever want to see your girlfriend alive again, you'll meet me at Mount Ember at midnight tomorrow. Come alone. remember, you and only you. No one else, not even your electric rat."

Pikachu's cheaks began sparking at the final comment, but he stopped immediately, realising that he might accidentaly kill Misty.

"See you tomorrow." With that last statement, Nick vanished along with Myst, leaving me standing with tears in my eyes.

_I've had so many chances to tell her how I felt, yet never had the courage. Now she's gone!_

--

Attacks:

Element Sphere:

Power: ??

description: A mix of many elements, this ball of energy, will send the opposition back in time to the selected moment of their life


	9. Chapter 7: Release

**Release**

_A boy's mother disappear off the face of the planet,_

_His town burned to ashes, with no survivors._

_He sets out on a quest to find his parents._

_He will be joined by a boy, determined to help the only other survivor of the fire_

_And by a girl from another city, who's sisters are also no where to be found._

_One will turn,_

_While the other two struggle onwards…_

**(Ash's Point of View)**

As soon as Gary and his hostage vanished, I collapsed, sobbing. My transformation faded, returning me to my normal human state. Wiping my eyes, I looked up to the now visible moon and swore to get Myst back, even if it was at the cost of my own life. Someone precious had been stolen from me. Someone that I loved. Gary had gone too far!

--

**(Normal P.o.V)**

Picture this. Clear blue skies framed by the crest of a mountain. The sun is setting, creating a beautiful hue of orange on the backdrop. Zoom in closer. The mountain peak opens up to reveal a dormant volcano. Grass is growing at the base of the mountain with trees and houses sitting a small distance away. Closer again, and you will see a diminutive cave at the mountain peak.

Inside this cave there are two figures – a guy with raven hair, and a girl, strung up against the left wall of the cave, her red, blood stained hair flowing down her shoulders and around her torn clothes. The stomach of her shirt was completely shredded, as was the legs of most of her pants. Her knee length coat flung against the opposite wall, also almost completely in rags. Deep cuts had been torn into all the visible skin on her body. Blood dripped from her, staining what was left of her clothes. Placed beneath the young girl was a drill, partially buried underground. She bit her lip, trying to stay conscious as her captor once again began the torture.

--

**(Ash's P.o.V)**

By the next morning, I was already at the summit of Mt. Ember. My pain and fury had driven me to race, by foot, through forest, barren wastelands, over the _ocean, _all the wayfrom the other side of the region. Non-stop.

(Author's note: New land speed record! –Laughs–)

Pikachu had sprinted the first hour, but soon became tired and leapt onto my shoulder to rest.

I figured that after drop-dead-sprinting thousands and thousands of miles straight, that I should take a break.

Lifting pikachu off my shoulder, I sat him on the ground and asked him to keep guard for me. When he agreed, I settled down for a nap.

Just in case anyone came along, however, I kept my mind open as I slept, sensing everyone around me.

As night began creeping upon me, I woke up, startled. Motioning for Pikachu to hide, I charged a ball of crackling energy in both hands and forced them outwards, creating a shield, while still lighting up the area. A soft, cruel chuckle came from behind a boulder on my left, and a man stepped out from behind it. Gary. He had changed very little since my capture by Terex. He did, in fact, resemble me in many aspects; however, the clothes that he wore were very different. He wore a camouflage sleeveless t-shirt which he wore under an auburn colour jacket. This colour was, oddly enough, the exact colour of his hair.

Gary also wore a camouflage combat pants and boots.

"Hello Ash," he said mockingly, "What brings you here?"

"You god damn well know." came the scathing reply, "Where. The fuck. Is she."

"Let's go somewhere else. There are too many living beings here…

I raised an eyebrow. Since when had Gary ever been so concerned about anything living?

--

The battle field was laid out in front of me. Gary and I were looking over the rim of the volcano of bubbling lava. While it was inactive, I still felt uneasy about being so close.

A yell came from beside me, and I felt a powerful fist slam into the side of my face. The force of the blow sent me reeling back, towards the edge.

An instant after the blow landed, my mind remembered exactly why I was at this place – to rescue Misty, and take down Gary once and for all!

Barely stopping myself from tumbling into the magma pool below, I spun to the left, evading the follow-up right hook that Gary threw. A quick low kick sent Gary sprawling to the ground, and a psychic wave of energy sent my nemesis hurtling into a nearby cliff, knocking him out.

The fight done, I reached out with my mind, searching for Misty. I found her in a nearby cave, on the other side of the volcano, inside the cone.

I once again made sure that Gary was out cold, called Pikachu out of hiding, and together we went down to the cave that Myst was trapped in.

--

Upon entering Gary's lair, I spotted something that made me freeze in shock; the dead body on the floor, and trussed to a wall, Myst. Her entire body was covered in scratches; her clothes were torn to shred, looking more like rags than clothes, barely covering her body. Her hair was dishevelled, and worst of all, Misty had blood dripping from in-between her legs. Injuring her as badly as this was horrific enough, but doing THAT to her was a whole other thing. Then I noticed what was partially buried beneath her. Just how far had that bastard gone?!

A moan escaped Misty's lips and I rushed to her side. I moved to release her, when I heard a sadistic laugh come from the entrance of the cave. Then my world went black.

--

(A/N: I was planning to end the chapter here, but then I found that I wasn't happy with where it left off, although suspenseful. So I'm being kind to you, and continuing with the chapter.)

Darkness. My mind kept playing the scene that I had just seen over and over and over again.

Respite. Finally I awoke to find myself hanging from a cave wall. It took me a second to remember what had happened and where I was. The first thing that I saw (apart from the cave) was body on the floor. purple hair rippled out from the back of her head. Her broken body lay discarded. Her face lay, in the twisted grimace of pain while her eyes stared lifelessly at the roof. With a sudden realisation I remembered who it was. Casey. My cell mate when Misty and I were captured by Team Rocket. Feeling sorrow begin to over whelm me, I tore my gaze from the scene.

Lifting my head, I began to examine my surroundings. The walls were bare rock, with no decoration whatsoever. There was however, a bed, and on the other side, a door.

I looked to my left, and found myself face to face with Myst. Past her, I could see the entrance that I came through to rescue her.

I turned my attention back to the door, and began thinking of ways to escape.

My reverie was broken when through the entry came Gary. However, he had changed. No longer was his hair auburn, but now it was Aqua coloured. His hair had grown past his shoulders, and the skin on the top half of his body, was now covered in black fur. The rims of Gary's eyes were now red, while his pupils, once black, were now green.

"Ah. So the pest has awoken."

I remained silent, watching him approach.

"Ash… here you shall meet your fate."

I snorted.

"Right. You keep believing that."

"I intend to," came the reply. "But before you die, I'll tell you why I joined Team Rocket. Many months ago, there was a campaign for the government's leaders to join the company, promising them elemental powers."

I watched on, pretending to be interested. In reality, I was putting my psychic abilities to use – on the shackles holding me up.

"Through my father, I heard about this propaganda, and resolved to join. Through some friends in the government, I was able to join, and rise up through the ranks. However, when you escaped, my hopes of elemental abilities were dashed. One day Nadine, who was my boss at the time, called me into her office. She informed me that I would be taking your place. The rest you already know."

Just as Gary's explanation came to an end, I heard a soft click come from my restraints, signalling that they had been unlocked. The sound was so soft, it was barely audible even to me, and my chains were barely a foot from my head.

The sound of footsteps approaching brought me back to reality, where I found myself face to face with Gary, who was holding several large spikes in his hands. I made a split second decision, and wrenched my legs out of their shackles, and swung them up bringing them crashing into Gary's chin, hurtling him away. Using the momentum gained from my manoeuvre, I planted my feet on the wall above and pushed off, releasing me from my ties, then I was on him like a hound to a rabbit.

We grappled on the floor, each trying to get the upper hand, him slowly over powering me. Then he released his hold on my wrist and kicked me backwards, sending me sprawling.

It was when Gary stood up that I noticed where he was. Right below Myst, who just so happened to be unconscious.

"I swear on my life if, you harm her in any way shape or form, I will kill you on the spot."

He merely grinned, and picked up one of the spikes he had dropped when I escaped my chains.

I swore under my breath.

"Say goodbye to your girlfriend. This is the last time that you'll see her alive."

After those final words, Gary stabbed her. Or he would have, if he hadn't been interrupted by a powerful blast of psychic electricity, which threw him into a wall, causing an extraordinarily large crater. Moaning, Gary opened his eyes, to find one incredibly pissed person. Namely, me. However, the tables had turned. I had transformed.

He lashed out with a kick, catching me in the face. I didn't even flinch.

"Heheh. Your kicks tickle." I said, grinning sadistically.

Draging him out of the crater,I stood at the edge of the cave, and the rim of Mount Ember, with him dangling from my hand and decided it was time to finish the fight. His eyes widend realizing my intent.

"Fuck." He swore.

"Hopefully this will be the last time we ever see you again, Gary. If there is a next time, you can be sure it will be the last." with that, I tossed him to the other side of the cone, and hurtled hundreds of thousands of volts of electricity into his body, where Gary landed on a small ledge, sparks dancing over his fried body.

_Maybe I over did it a little. _I shrugged. _Oh well._

Dropping out of my transformed state, I raced back to Misty, to free her from her chains, before going to find (or if worst came to worst, steal) some new clothes, and get some food.

--

Upon returning, there was a pleasant surprise. Myst had awoken.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked softly, handing her some food. She shook her head, and let out a small sob, before I enveloped her in a warm, loving embrace, careful to avoid re-opening any cuts on her tortured body.

"Ash?" Misty sniffed, "do you remember, how yesterday, you asked me what we should do? Do you remember how I said we needed to take down Terex?"

I nodded slowly.

"What do you want to do? Do you agree?"

I was sick of being chased, sick of my friends getting hurt. So I spoke my mind, "We attack. It's time to take down Team Rocket once and for all – but not until we, well mostly you, rest for a few days, and are back to our normal selves.


	10. Chapter 8: Confessions

Disclamer: I do not own pokemon in any shape or form, so DO NOT SUE ME! you wouldn't get much any way.

On to the story!

Chapter 8: Confessions

_Thoughts_

"Speech"

(Misty's P.O.V)

My thoughts seemed to tumble around my head as lay awake on the floor (Both of us decided to reject the bed in the cave, finding it brought to many memories of the bad things we had been through), listening to the pitter patter of the rain outside. A bolt of lightning tore through the night sky, while the wind seemed to moan as it blew.

The weather outside seemed to mirror my turbulent state of mind. Normally, I would be able to sleep through storms, indeed, the even helped me sleep. However, tonight was different. Something felt off. There was a tension in the air that seemed almost… furious, like the weather seemed to be trying to tear everything apart, trying to destroy everything living, as if punishing someone or something for failing.

I rolled over, finding myself face to face with the sleeping forms of Ash and Pikachu, their figures rising and falling with each breath that they took.

_How can they sleep through this? Can't they feel the tension in the air?_

I sighed. This wasn't helping. I needed to clear my head.

Standing up, I picked up the trench coat that had been used as a pillow just moments before, put it on, and headed into the storm.

As I stood on the ledge outside of the cave and looked up into the clouded night sky, I couldn't help but let all my fears and the tightness in my muscles, just wash away with the rain. Water had the power to do that to me – or maybe that was what the hands that were massaging my shoulders were doing.

"Hey, Ash said softly. "You alright?"

"Yeah." came my reply. "I was just thinking..." I drifted off.

"About what?"

I remained silent, a war waging in my mind, one side saying that I shouldn't tell him what I've been hiding for so long, while the other side told me to just spit it out.

"Come on, you know you can tell me anything. It's what I'm here for, I'm here to help."

I smiled at this, the first smile in a loooong time.

"Yeah, I know…"

I sighed; watching as another bolt of lightning sliced the sky open, illuminating the extinct volcano.

"There seems to be a lot on my mind at the moment." I began, settling down against the outside wall of the cave. "The past few weeks have been hell and back for us. We were chased, and very nearly killed, by that monstrosity that we used to call our friend. Then we were attacked in Viridian Forest, causing your transformation. While that was a good thing, it scares me just how much you change, just how cruel you can be come."

Ash looked away at this, but I didn't notice. I was on a role now.

"Right after you destroyed that entire army – almost certainly more that ten thousand strong, Gary kidnapped me, tortured me, and nearly killed us both -" I stopped talking sharply, and stared at Ash. He was smiling now.

"What are you smiling at?!" I asked, annoyed. This wasn't a laughing matter.

Ash just continued to grin, and suddenly it struck me like a ton of bricks. He knew that wasn't what was on my mind, no matter how credible that speech might have been.

_Ash can read me like a book, _I realised with a start, _the same way I can read him!_

"You know that that's not what I'm thinking, don't you." It wasn't a question, but the answer came anyway.

"Yes."

I sweat dropped.

"Truthfully? While those things are on my mind, they are of little trouble to me. "

Ash nodded, encouraging me to keep going.

I took a deep breath, and began again. "I've been thinking about my feelings, but where do I even _begin_ to explain how I feel?"

"How about at the start, when it all began?" Ash replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Ever since our towns were razed, we've been through hell and back."

"That's the understatement of the century." Ash said dryly. I chuckled, silently agreeing with him.

"Throughout it all you've always been right by my side. From Brock going insane, to the battle in Viridian, to my capture several weeks ago, you've always been there." I turned to hide the tears forming in my eyes. Ash still noticed them anyway.

"Hey, don't cry." He said, raising a hand to wipe them away.

"We've both had so many near death experiences, all of which we survived. _All of which we survived together."_

"I hope it stays that way Ash. I – We've been through to much together, and I can't imagine life without you now. What I'm trying to say is…" My resolve fled my body as I finally broke down. Even after all of this, I still couldn't say it!

Ash pulled me into a hug, trying to get me to continue. He wasn't succeeding.

"Hey, hey, sshh, its ok. I know what you're trying to say. Truth is, there's something that I've held to myself for way to long." He said softly, closing his eyes.

I looked up, brushing a wet strand of hair away from his eye. He smiled, took a deep breath and began.

"When I first found you hiding in the debris of Cerulean, I couldn't believe my eyes. The shock of finding anyone, let alone somebody alive, was enormous."

I nodded, thinking back to the day that Ash had found me hiding in what was left of my burnt out home. After three weeks, there was still no trace of any bodies left in the wake of the destruction of the city I resided in – and even less remained of any living being, other than my self of course. It was then, when I was scavenging for any food or water, that I heard Ash call out. Bolting quickly into a hole in the ruins of what hade once been Cerulean Gym, I couldn't help but wonder whether this newcomer was a friend or a foe, and whether he was a survivor of the devastation that lay around me.

"Shaking my head, I tried to concentrate as Ash began to speak again.

"Something stirred within me when I saw you hiding within the rubble." He said, casting his eyes out towards the night sky. Following Ash's gaze, I found, to my astonishment, that it had stopped raining. The sky was now devoid of any clouds. Stars cluttered the darkness, each twinkling brightly without a care in the world, their light tearing through the blackness around them.

"Brock called it a crush back then." Ash spoke once again. A smile graced his lips as he gazed into the night.

"But I know now that wasn't what I felt. With each passing day, the feeling grew stronger, till I felt I couldn't live without you. I love you Myst. I have since I first met you."

* * *

There is you next chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! You know what to do, read and review!


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